


Benched

by kickcows



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 13:03:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4607784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickcows/pseuds/kickcows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shōyō messes up his knees, and has to sit on the sidelines while he heals. Tobio helps him with his physical therapy, a new bond manifesting between the two of them that wasn't there before the accident.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Benched

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired to write something for [this](http://egg-noodle.tumblr.com/post/118401798608/knee-injuries) artwork. Please enjoy!

* * *

He heard the doorbell ring downstairs, wondering just who would be ringing it at this time of day. He was tired, and his body hurt. There wasn’t anything he could do about the person downstairs, as he still couldn’t move very well. Luckily, his mother was home, and he could hear her walking towards the door. He wanted to turn over and curl up into a ball, but the two braces on his knees would not let him.

They had returned from the hospital a few days before. He had tried to save a ball during practice and had landed too hard on the court. He knew he was in bad shape when the entire team stared at him in horror, the sound seeming to echo throughout the gymnasium. Asahi and Daichi had picked him up and carried him out to Takeda-sensei’s car, and the four of them had rushed to the emergency room. Even now, the words of the doctor still echoed in his ears.

“ _You were lucky that you didn’t break something.” Two braces were slid onto his knees, Shōyō trying to keep the tears from falling. “You won’t be able to play for at least a month. Maybe more, depending on your progress. I want you to heal a bit first before we start you on physical therapy.”_

_“What? I can’t play volleyball?” Shōyō’s soul felt crushed. “A month??”_

_“Maybe longer. You start physical therapy a week from today. Here’s the clinic - they’re the best in the area.” The doctor handed him a slip of paper. “You’re not the first person to suffer from this kind of injury, Hinata. Nor will you be the last. With any luck, you will be better in no time.”_

_“Okay, doctor.”_  

The sound of heavy footsteps on the staircase leading up to his room made him feel uneasy. Why was his mother coming upstairs right now? He didn’t call her. A light knock on his door made him sigh. “I’m okay, mom. I don’t need anything right now. Please, just go away for right now?”

“Honey, you have a visitor.”

Shōyō sat up on the bed, propping himself up on his elbows. “Don’t feel like company right now. Could you please tell them to come back another time?”

“Too bad.” The door opened, and his teammate - Tobio Kageyama - stood there. “Thanks, Mrs. Hinata. I won’t be long.”

“Alright. You call me if you need anything.” Shōyō watched his mom walk away. He turned his head towards the wall and flopped back on the bed, ignoring Tobio.

The door to his room closed. “Look, I won’t stay long-”

“Good.”

“When are you coming back to school?” Tobio asked, staying put by the door.

He stared up at the ceiling. “Not sure. Maybe day after tomorrow? Maybe Monday?”

“Come back, Hinata. You can’t stay holed up in here until you can play again.”

His head snapped to the left. “What does it even matter to you? Don’t you see what is happening right now?” He pointed to his knees, which were elevated underneath two pillows.

“Quit feeling sorry for yourself.” Tobio walked over to the bed. “This isn’t like you, Shōyō. The Shōyō I know would be bouncing back fast, wanting to do anything he can to get back out onto the court. Instead, you’ve turned into this person who is wallowing in self pity.”

“What do you know?” Shōyō shouted. “You’re not the one that has to be benched for a month, maybe more! Who are you going to toss to?”

“Azumane! Tsukishima! Who the fuck cares?!” Tobio leaned down, getting close to his face. “This self-martyr act isn’t you, moron. What happened to all that excitement you had? So what if you’re benched for a bit. It happens to the best players.”

“It hasn’t happened to you!”

Tobio groaned. “Is that why you’re acting like this? Would you feel better if I got messed up too? That way, we’re both benched?”

“…..”

“You’re an idiot.” Tobio sat on the edge of the bed, being careful to not jostle the mattress. “I can’t believe you actually want me to do that. Do you not care about the team at all? Just because  _you_  can’t play, that means the entire team has to go down?”

He knew it sounded selfish, and he knew that it  _was_  selfish, but what was wrong with wanting some company on the bench? “No. I don’t want that.”

“Then cut this shit out. Look, if you’re not at school tomorrow, Sawamura is going to cut you from the team.”

“WHAT?!” He sat up, a slight pain tearing through his knees. He bit his lip, pushing the pain away, not wanting Tobio to see him get upset.

“You heard me. So, show up to school tomorrow.” Tobio stood up, and walked over to the door. “And knock this shit off, Shōyō. Really. So what if you’ve got some braces on your knees for a bit? There’s worse shit that could have happened to you.” He opened the door, and walked out, leaving the injured first year alone.

After he heard the door downstairs close, he called out to his mother. “What is it, honey?” She asked, standing at his door. “Everything okay?”

“I need to go to school tomorrow.”

***

The next day, he walked into school on his crutches, feeling like all eyes were on him. Maybe they were. What was he going to do about it? Nothing. Let them look. He hobbled to his locker, and saw a friendly face waiting there for him.

“Glad you decided to come to school.” Tobio’s normally stoic face had the beginnings of a small smile appearing.

“When you tell me that if I don’t, I’ll be kicked off the team, what did you expect?” He tried to balance on his crutches to get into his locker, but almost fell over in the process. “Gah!”

“Let me help you.” Tobio opened his locker for him. “Don’t be mad at me, okay?” He pulled their first subject book out.

“I’m not mad.” Shōyō looked down at his feet. “I just don’t like being like this.”

“Nobody does.” His locker closed. “Come on, we’ll be late if we don’t go now.”

He hobbled after his friend, who kept a slow pace for him. Shōyō wasn’t sure if he wanted to scream or cry. Or maybe both.

***

At practice, the entire team cheered when he walked into the gymnasium with Tobio. “Ah, Hinata-chan!” Takeda-sensei walked over to them. “So glad you are back at practice with us! The team has missed you!”

“Thanks.” Shōyō mumbled under his breath. He hobbled over to the bench and sat down, putting his crutches next to him.

“Now that Hinata’s back, our team can get back into a groove.” Daichi stood up, and addressed the team. “Hinata - just because you’re benched doesn’t mean I don’t want you to not memorize plays. You got me?”

His eyes widened when he heard the request. “But…?”

“No buts. Just because you’re benched doesn’t mean it’s forever.” The Karasuno captain looked over at Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei. “Make sure he’s paying attention.”

“Like I would let him slack off.” Coach Ukai smirked. “Get out on the court.”

Shōyō stayed on the bench, and tried to not to get too upset that he wasn’t able to go out on the court. Watching everyone warm-up and stretch made his knees ache a little. He sagged his shoulders, and sighed softly.

“No one over here is going to give you the sympathy you’re looking for.” Ukai looked at him. “You’re young. This won’t be your only set back. Better to get that in your head now, than be completely devastated when something worse happens.”

He groaned. “That’s what Kageyama said!”

“He’s a smart kid. Better listen to him. When do you start physical therapy?” Ukai stood up, and started to bark orders at the team. “Hinata? I’m waiting for your answer.”

“Next week!”

“I want him to go with you.” Ukai said, after having a brief exchange with Takeda.

“What?! Why? He doesn’t need to be there!” His stomach dropped to the floor, as he thought about what their coach was saying. He didn’t want Tobio to see him fail at anything.

“Just do as I say, kid. You need a good support system. You two work as a unit both on and off the court. Including physical therapy.” Ukai turned and looked at him. “Got it?”

“Hai.” Shōyō knew there would be no point in arguing with his coach. He would just have to work twice as hard, to not make a fool out of himself.

***

The next week, both he and Tobio stood next to each other in the physical therapist’s office. “I don’t see why I have to be here.” Tobio mumbled under his breath.

“Neither do I, but it’s what Coach Ukai wants.” He agreed. They both took a seat in the waiting room, after Shōyō checked in.

“Ah, you must be Shōyō!” A woman in her mid-twenties came out to greet them. “And who’s this with you?”

“My teammate, Tobio.” He ignored the side look the other teen gave him. Sure, he used his first name, so what? “We play volleyball together.”

“Is that how you got this injury?” They walked back to the training room.

“Yeah…”

“Well, I’m glad you have a buddy. Your coach was smart to do that.” She remarked, as they got settled in the room.

Shōyō tilted his head. “Really? But why?”

“Because, he can help you out when I’m not around. I can train him what to do, so your progress can go much faster.”

Both teens looked at each other. Does this mean he’s going to have to depend on Tobio more so now? He sighed, and gave a nod of his head. “I understand.”

“Good. Let’s get started!”

***

“Are you comfortable?” Tobio asked, as he set two pillows down, to help elevate Shōyō’s knees. “Because, if you aren’t, you need to tell me.”

“I’m fine.” Shōyō nodded, adjusting himself to rest comfortably. He waited for Tobio to move the support pillow to be against the center of his back, before he laid back down. “How do I look? Do I look right?”

“Idiot, you never look right.” Tobio smirked.

“Tooooobio!” He whined, the action making him feel almost normal, except for the braces on both of his knees.

A hand ruffled his orange hair. “Come on, let’s get this done, so we can join the rest of the team for practice.”

“You just don’t want to be alone with me. I know. It’s annoying. You’d rather be on the court.” Shōyō started to stretch out his right knee, moving at a snail’s pace, before pulling it back towards his hip. He repeated the action with his left leg, wincing only a little bit.

The dark-haired teen kneeled next to him, and held onto his leg, helping him stretch it out further the next set. “I’d rather be on the court with you. You know that.”

Their eyes met, Shōyō not knowing what to say. He had hoped it was that way, but had to play it off like he was still being an annoying invalid. Hearing that his friend wanted him to return to the court just as much as he wanted to made him feel….strange. But in a good way.

“Right. Enough of this.” Tobio continued talking, looking back down at Shōyō’s left leg. “Come on. Try and do it farther this time. The more you can stretch, the faster we can get those braces off, and get you into a soft cloth brace.”

“Okay.” Shōyō nodded, feeling just as flustered as how his friend just sounded.

What the hell was happening?

***

After two months of intense physical therapy, both with his therapist and Tobio, Shōyō was finally in two soft cloth knee braces. When he walked onto the court without his crutches, his teammates burst into applause, and crowded around him.

“Hinata! We knew you could do it!” Asahi said, grinning.

“Yeah, shrimp! What the hell took you so long?” Nishinoya stood in front of him, a large grin on his face. “Court’s not the same without two shrimps.”

“Who are you calling a shrimp?” He laughed, the high of having his entire team supporting him feeling better than anything he could have imagined.

“Enough of the talk, ladies. Let’s get to practice.” Ukai called out. The team disbanded, and began their regular warm-up routine.

After practice, Shōyō walked carefully to the locker room, his body more sore than it had been in quite some time. When he finished his shower, he saw that Tobio was waiting for him by the door. Or, maybe he was just waiting. He didn’t know.

“I….” Tobio started to say, but closed his mouth.

Grinning, Shōyō touched his shoulder. “I’m glad I’m back too. It was nice being able to receive your set-ups today.”

“You can’t jump so high, though.” Tobio’s eyes looked worried. “What if you fall again? I don’t want to be the reason why you get hurt.”

This statement made his stomach drop. “You were never the reason in the first place, Tobio. I made the mistake. Not you. And I have to jump high, in order to do our set-up. I can’t just not do that. It’s how I play. It’s how  _we_  play.”

“But we can figure something else out.” Tobio ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I just don’t want you to get messed up.”

“Why? Because you don’t want to take care of me again?” Shōyō grinned, not sure why this conversation was making him so happy. “Coach Ukai was right in making you go with me. I think I healed faster because of it.”

Tobio shook his head. “No, I don’t care about that, I just…”

“Just what?”

He gasped softly, when he felt Tobio push him against the wall. “I don’t like seeing you in pain, alright? It hurts right here.” He pointed to his chest. “I’m tired of it hurting, Shōyō. I want it to feel like it did today when you walked out onto the court.  _That_  feeling is much better than this anxiety I feel in my chest.”

“Tobio…” He blinked a few times, becoming extremely warm. “Do you really care about me that much?”

“Like you need to ask.”

Closing his eyes, he felt Tobio’s lips touch his with a soft kiss. After all this time, Shōyō finally gave up trying to fight this attraction he had to him, and just let it consume him. They’d been through a lot these last few months, and he honestly didn’t want their time together to end. This kiss, the way their lips moved together, seemed so natural that it didn’t even dawn on Shōyō to have done this sooner.

“Come on, idiot.” Tobio rested his forehead against Shōyō’s. “Let’s get you home before your mom gets mad.”

“Kay.” He nodded his head, not wanting to pull away from him just yet. “Tobio? What was-”

“Just leave it.” His gruff voice made Shōyō realize that perhaps it was best to just accept it for what it was, and move on. Lips brushed against his ear. “I like you, Shōyō. Now, let’s just go home.” He pulled away from him, and walked out of the locker room, leaving a dazed Shōyō in his wake.

***

“Told you it was bound to happen.” Kōshi stated, a smile on his face.

“When you force them together like that, of course it’s going to happen.” Daichi replied, the two of them walking far enough behind the other two so they could not hear them.

“Sometimes all it takes is a little push.” Kōshi nodded his head.

“Or a pretty bad fall.”

“It happened, and that’s all that matters.”

“Yep. Now our team will soar.”

“To the highest heights.”


End file.
